Vehicle-wheel.



F. A. GUTH.

VEHICLE WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 12. 1913.

1,1 1 5,667, Patented N0v.3, 1914.

FBEDERICKA. Guru, or-wavnn'nr, onro.

VEHICLEFWHEEIQ.

Application file dMay 12, 1913. i Serial No. 766,937.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, FREDERICK A. GUTH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Waverly, in the county of Pike and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle-Wheels, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to vehicle wheels and aims particularly to provide 3, Wheel of resilient construction which may be either used in conjunction with or .be'made to. re-' place the present-day pneumatic tires used upon wheels of motor vehicles. Mywheel is somewhat of a departure from the present common construction in that I have provided a flexible resillent rim portion. In the use of this flexible rim portion, it becomes essential that some'supplementalcushioning structure be used and I have interposed a resilient spoke structure between this flexible rim portion and the hub structure, this spoke structure being radially extensible and compressible and also rotatably yieldable, Where a radially extensible and compressible spoke structureis used, it is a solutely necessary that this spoke structure be rotatably yieldable, especially 1D.

combination with a flexible rim. This is rendered so because of the slight oscillatory movement required by each radiating spoke, While the wheel is flexing.

My invention further aims to provide a structure for limiting the amount of flexing of the rim portion, in which case the wheel will have a predetermined amount of cushioning distance and at the same time a structure is provided to guard against excesslve ressing of the rim to cause its breaking.

t will'be understood that by theme of this flexible rim portion, the wheel will upon striking an obstruction be made to assume somewhat of an oval shape, depending upon its combined inherent resiliency and the supplemental resilient elements for returning it to its natural position of roundness. It Wlll further be understood that my wheel is not limited in its use to motor vehicles alone,

although well adapted to this end, but-may be used with equal effectiveness upon all carriers wherein a cushioning action 15 desired. The preferred embodiment of my invention is shown in theaccompanying drawings, in which similar characters of refer ence designate corresponding parts, and in which Specification of Letters Batent.

Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

Figure l is a side elevation of my type of vehicle wheel showingthe oval shape it assumes when performing its function, in broken lines, Fig. 2 is a vertical central sec tion of .the structure shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 1s a view iniperspective of one formof cleat utilized to hold the; tire; in position, and,

Fig. ,4 is a section of a wheel showing a slightly modified construction. I I desire it to be understood that the tread portion of my wheel may be made of'solid rubber, or the present day type of pneumatic tire may be used if desired, this not forming the essential part of my invention. The invention of the present wheel resides pri-' marily in the provision of a resilient flexible rim 1, to which maybe attached a plurality of channel shaped cleats -2-for forming the means of attachment of the tire'3. Around the inner surface of the rim member, there is provided a continuous resilient strip 4 and rigidly attached to the rim by a' suitable. connection such as shown at 5. This resilient member is so constructed to form "a" plurality of semielliptic springs, being attached to a central hub 6 of "any preferred construction, by means of outwardly radiating spoke elements 7 the latterbeing 'attached to thesprings formed by theelement 4:, as shown at 8. Any desired Il1l1'11,' ber of these resilient bands may be provided and in Fig. 1, I .have shown two, suitablyi spaced apart and having one spoke element for each semi-elliptic formation. It will be apparent that when the wheel strikes an obstruction, the lower portion will be elevated and due to the flexible and resilient nature of the rim the u oper portion will be slightly compressed, thereby forcing the two ends outward to an oval shape such as shown by the broken lines in this figure. By

careful study of the figure, it will be apmounted upon the hub 6 and having its outerdiameter of a size to give a predetermined amount of free movement of the rim. This central disk 9 is desirably centrally member, I have provided a central disk 9 a its particular location is not'essential.

The structure shown in Fig. 4 is similar, in some respects to that just described, difierproviding single spoke elements 'as above, I have provided a plurality of spring spokes I 11 constructed by suitably bending axwire to the shape indicatedin this figure. Itwill be noted that aside from the cushioning action attained by the flexible resilient nature of the. rim and the semi-elliptio springs formed by. the member 4, the spring spokes 11 also assist somewhat in thisaction; It will further be apparent that, owing to the resilient natureof the rim portion, it will be necessary to provide spokes that are yielding in the direction of the. plane 'ofthe wheel itself. This will be more apparent when it is borne in mind that the normally circular rim is given a somewhat oval shape when placed :under impact. I have, therefore, provided all of the spoke elements tobe yielding or resilient in the plane of the wheel itself, but rigid as regards movement in a lateral direction.

From the above, it will be apparent that I have provided a vehicle wheel that gives the desired degree of cushioning in a more uni form manner than hasbeenpossible to heretofore attain.

Vhat I claim, is:

l. :A resilient wheel comprising a hub, a

resilient flexible rim, a plurality of sem1-' elliptically arranged sprlngs around the ,inner surface of said rim, and aplurality of spokes yieldable rotatably in theplane of the wheel radiating from said huband cooperating with saidsprings, said. spokes 111g essentially in the construction of the spoke elements. Inthis figure, instead'jof' being arranged to make the wheel rigid to lateralmovement. A,

A resilient wheel comprising a hub, a resilient flexible rim, a plurality of semielliptic springs secured to said rim around its inner periphery, and a plurality of spokes radiating outwardly from said hub and engaging'said springs but separately formed therefrom, said spokes being rigidly at- "tached to said hub and being oscillatory about said mounting, said spokes being further rigidly. attached to said springs and arranged to .make the wheel rigid to lateral movement.

3. A resilient wheel comprising a hub a resilient flexible rim, a plurality of inwardly bowed springs, the terminals of which are secured to the rim at widely separated points, and a plurality of spokes the outer ends of which'connect to the central portions of. said bowed springs and the inner ends of which aresecured to said hub, said spokes being revolubly yieldable around said hub but laterally rigid.

4. A resilient wheel comprising a hub, a resilient flexible rim, a plurality of pairs of inwardly bowed springs, those springs forming each pair being arranged in staggered relation, the terminals of each spring being secured to the rim at widely separated points, and a plurality of spokes the outer ends of which connect to the central portions of said bowed springs and the inner ends of which are secured to said hub, said spokes being revolubly yieldable around said hub but laterally rigi In testimony whereof I affix my signature inpresence of two witnesses.

' FREDERICK A. GUTH. WVitnesses T. H. MCOANN, LEVI B. MOORE.

Copies of this patent-maybe obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner 01' Patents- Washington, D. 0. 

